Professional mom seeking clarity, balance and a well deserved glass of wine.

Living at the Speed of Light

According to Wikipedia, the speed of light is approximately 186,282 miles per second. It is the maximum speed at which all energy, matter and information and moms in the universe can travel. With summer ending and school beginning I think I’m in denial that the speed of life is about to ramp back up, and quick!

I believe I’m like most professional moms. On a daily basis we’re trying to balance a career, a family, a home, pets, sports and the pursuit of fitness. Often times this feels like it’s all happening at the speed of light. Like it’s never-ending. Full speed ahead, every day. It can be exhausting. Finding balance is the challenge for me. That precious balance that keeps me on the right side of sanity.

My husband and kids were away recently, visiting family out of state. An entire week BY MYSELF. I’m still giddy just thinking about it. It’s nothing that any parent doesn’t wish for, but rarely gets. It was truly a gift. Every day for seven days the only person I had to take care of was ME. I ate when and what I wanted. I got ready in the morning, BY MYSELF. I didn’t have to drop anyone off anywhere or pick anyone up. The house was tidy all week. I did 2 loads of laundry ALL WEEK as opposed to 2 loads per day. Went to dinners and an art festival with girlfriends. Had girlfriends over for wine and cheese. Went to a spa. And the best part, the only butt I had to wipe was mine. Pure bliss.

Now, reading this, you’re probably thinking one of two things…wow, she’s a lucky dog OR wow, what a selfish bitch, why did she even have kids? Well, the answer is neither. I have no regrets in the kid department. It’s just that, as moms, we sort of lose ourselves once they are born. Any free time we had gets sucked up into a vortex that will re-emerge in about 25 years. I’ve realized something about myself. I MUST HAVE TIME TO MYSELF ON A REGULAR BASIS or I may drive off a bridge. I mean “I may lose my temper and cry into my June Cleaver apron.” What ev!

It’s as essential as breathing or eating at this point. The other epiphany I had is that finding this ME time is up to ME. I have to make it happen. I have to plan it. I have to ask for it. If I don’t, it’s not going to magically happen. Well, once in a great while, it might, but you get my drift. (Wow, that was so “Happy Days”) There are many women who don’t ask for free time. Never get any. I’ve met a few of these women and I honestly don’t know how they do it. They seem to be yearning for something. A life they thought they were going to have. An identity that was. This confuses me. Why? Has society trained us that this is selfish? Selfish to take time for yourself. I believe so. I don’t see men dealing with this conflict quite as much. Do you? They rarely show any guilt when it comes time to taking time for themselves. Well, good for them. I say, women need to adopt the same behavior. No guilt. Carve it out. We deserve it.

I guess what I learned during my week of solitude was that I appreciate and enjoy some simple things in life….quiet, pure and simple….laying on the floor and listening to the fan just because I can…wiping my own butt…eating popcorn for dinner…laying in bed until I feel like getting up…being in my bathroom alone without a peanut gallery asking why my boobs are so big…having more than 5 minutes to have a thought, to actually hear myself think… to slow down and have nowhere to be and nothing to do. And, that it’s bliss when your family comes home and throw their arms around you and kiss your face and tell you they missed you so much.

Here’s to living at the speed of light and remembering to take pit stops along the way to refuel YOU.